Means for softening water.



H. J. WHEATON.

MEANS Foa SOPTBNING WATER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1914.

1,100,803. Patented June 23,1914

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MEANS POR SOFTENING WATER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1914.

"1,1 00,803. V Patented June 23,1914

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l/ ZU 4 TTY UNITED STATESA PATENT oEEIcE.

-iu'noLn JosErH wHEAToN, or sPoNDoN, NEAE DERBY, ENGLAND. 7

MEANS Eon. soF'rENiNe WATEE.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, HAROLD JOSEPH WHEATON, asubject of the Kingxof Great Britain, residing at Spondon, near Derby,England, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Means for SofteningWater, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to apparatus for softening water of the type inwhich the softening substances compound or mixture such as zeolitesemployed in the apparatus is or are regenerated by passing a solution ofsalt through the said substance compound or mixture, whereby mixedchlorids areformed, and causing said substance or mixture to beagitated.

The object of this invention .is to rovide improved means forregenerating t e said substance, compound or mixture.

In processes and apparatus hitherto devised 1t has been proposed toagitate the substance by a stirrlng device, and it has been proposed toagitate the salt solution during its passage through the substance.

According to this invention the means for regenerating thesoftening'substance, compound or mixture, is characterized in that thesaid substance, compound or mixture, is agitated by the passage of thesalt solution upwardly therethrough at the commencement of theregenerat1on, before the said solution passes slowly downwardly in thewell known manner through the said substance, compound or mixture.-

Referring to the drawings z--Figure 1 is a diagram showing -one form ofapparatus made in'accordance with this invention and adapted for use asa gravity system. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing another form of apparatusadapted for use as a pressure system.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, ais a steel tank, b is a bed ofsoftening substance, compound` or mixture, c is a thin layer of gravel,d and e are salt tanks, the former being on the ground and the lattersupported above the filter, f is a pipe through which thesalt solutionis raised from the tank d to the tank e bv means of the pump g, L ,isthe water supply pipe, j a ball cock and k a distributer on the ipe Itmis a pi from the tank e tlirough the tan a to the delivery. pipe n. oand p are valves on the pipe m. ln. is a branch plpe from the pi e m -tothe tank d, g is a valve on the pipe fn, r is' a distributer on the pipem. s is a meter, t

Bpoioation of Letters Patent.

Application led February 7, 1914. Serial No. 817,185.

e passing' Patented June z3, 1914.

is a draw of cock on the to the tank a, v a sum In the operation of)softening water the valves g and o and the cock t being closed, the hardwater enters the pipe h and is distributed by the distributor la. Thewater passes through the tank a softening substance b lnto the. pipe mby the distributer r and Hows through the; meter s' to delivery plpe n.For the purpose of agitating, regenerating and cleansln the softeningmaterial the valves p and y are closed and the tank d is filled from thetank a by the` valve g. When the tank d is full the valve q is closedand the necessary quantity of salt is placed in the tank dand dissolvedin the water. This salt solution is then pumped into the tank e, whenthis tank is full the valve o is opened fully to allow the salt solutionto pass rapidly through the distributer 1 upward through the softeningsubstance b which thoroughly agitates the same. As soon as the tank e isempty the valve 0 is closed and the valve j opened by hand and the cockt opened to such an extent that the water. passed through the tank a in10 hours` is equal to about 2% times the volume ofthe tank e. After thepassage of the salt solution and clear water downward, the filter willbe completely regenerated and Washed free from the mixed chlorids, whenby closing the cock t and opening the valve p the so teningprocess willproceed as previously described.

lIn the operation of softening water in the pressure system the valves gand o and the cock t are closed, the hard Water enters the pipe L andis' distributed by the distributer 7c. The Water passes through t-hetank a softening substance b into the ipe m by the Ydistributer 1' andflows throug the meter s to the 'delivery pipe n.

In the rocess of agitating regenerating and cleansing the softeningsubstance in the pressure apparatus the tank d is filled from the supplypipe h through the valve g and the necessary quantity of salt dissolvedin this water. The valves g and j are then closed and the salt solutionpumped up into the tank e, when the tank e is filled and the tankV d isempty the valves o and g are opened so that as the salt vsolution passesfrom the tank e into the tank a upward through the softening substance bWater is pipe m, u is a drain' `discharged from a into d. This water can0 be used for dissolving the salt for the next regeneration. When d hasbeen filled all the solution has passed from the tank e through thesoftening substance b. Valves g and o are then closed and the 4valve?"opened, the air cock w on the pipew istheno ened to release any air that1s carried into t e filter in solution in the water and liberated duringthe process of filtration and remains open until ya continuous stream ofwater flowsv In the pressure type Fig'. 2, a manhole y' is provided togive access to the softening substance and in both cases fine strainersz are fitted to both salt tanks to prevent any foreign matter fromclogging the holes in the distribute;` 7.'

With apparatus made in accordance with this `invention the salt solutionis used for agitating in addition lto regenerating the softeningsubstance, by upward flow of the salt solution. Further with apparatusmade in accordance with this inventionthere is a great reduction in thequantity of waste water and an increased efficiency of the apparatus isattained due to more effective regeneration. The softening substance isalways completely immersed and does not accumulate air bubbles whichwould reduce l the efficiency of the process and apparatus.

The ap aratus for softening water and l for agitatmg or regenerating andcleansing the water softening material used in the process-comprising awater softening tank, water softening material in the tank, a bed ofgravel in the tank, a low level salt tank, and a high level-salt tank,means for raisin brine from the low level tank to the hig level tankand, means for conveying brine from the high level tank to the bottom ofthe water softening tank, means for filling the water softening tankwith fresh water and distributing it within the tank, means for emptyingthe Water softening tank through its bottom whereby the brine is firstpassed ra idly upward through the gravel and softening material toagitate the material and then passed downward through the materialslowly, the softening material being washedl free from brine by thepassage of clear water following immediately after the brine in suchvolume thatthe water passing through the tank in ten hours is aboutequal to two and a half times the volume of the high level tank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HAROLD JOSEPH WHEATON.

Witnesses:

E. A. MORLEY, A. HARRISON. p

